Arc welding refers to a broad group of welding processes used in many industrial applications and relying on an electric arc as the heat source to join metal parts. Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is one type of arc welding process in which a continuous and consumable metal electrode wire is used to produce the electric arc and provide filler material into the weld. The electrode wire is melted as it is fed through a handheld tool called a welding gun. In addition to feeding the wire, the welding gun emits a shielding gas that protects the weld area from atmospheric contamination. In a conventional welding operation, the welding gun is coupled to a wire source, a gas source and a power source to respectively supply the electrode wire, the shielding gas and electrical power to the weld area.
Arc welding guns, as well as other types of welding guns, tend to be bulky and not easy to maneuver, especially those which are connected to a fume extraction vacuum system in addition to wire, gas and power sources. Also, arc welding guns are often used for welding in tight, hard-to-access weld areas. As a result, it is known that welders suffer a high prevalence of musculoskeletal physical ailments such as tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other hand, wrist, elbow, shoulder and back strain and injuries. To alleviate these problems, some existing welding guns are provided with a rotation mechanism that allows for the welding end of the gun to be positioned at different angular positions with respect to the portion of the welding gun which is held by the user. As a result, the hand holding the gun can be maintained in a comfortable position where muscle strains are reduced.
Although existing rotation mechanisms for arc welding guns may have certain advantages, they also suffer from a number of drawbacks and limitations. For example, such drawbacks and limitations can include: the necessity of disengaging and re-engaging one or more gun components in order to change the orientation of the gun; the inability to conveniently lock and release the gun into specific orientations; and the angle that the handle makes with respect to the main body of the gun.
Accordingly, many challenges remain in the development of welding guns provided with rotation mechanisms that can be used more readily and conveniently than existing devices, while also alleviating at least some of their drawbacks.